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Friday, 29 August 2014

Diplomat, Who took Ebola to Rivers, an ECOWAS Staff - Says River State Governor

The Rivers state Government has disclosed that the man who evaded surveillance in Lagos and travelled to Port Harcourt after coming in contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian American, who brought the virus to Nigeria, is a personnel of the sub-regional group, the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS].

In a broadcast to the people of Rivers state Thursday, the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said the ECOWAS diplomat, who he did not name, travelled to Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, after Mr. Sawyer infected him in Lagos. He in turn infected a doctor, Ikechukwu Enemuo, who treated him. Mr. Amaechi said the ECOWAS official travelled to Port Harcourt the day Mr. Sawyer died in Lagos.

Mr. Amaechi said, “Our investigations revealed that a staff of the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS], on the day that the late Sawyer died of Ebola, made a trip to Port Harcourt where he went into a hotel and met with Dr. Ike (Enemuo). “About a week after his departure, Dr. Ike (Enemuo) took ill and was rushed to hospital with symptoms of fever and diarrhea. In the course of treatment, the doctor became suspicious and took blood samples for investigation. “In three days, Dr. Ike (Enemuo) died. Dr. Ike’s widow, who is also medical person, and who also took care of him, has taken ill and has been quarantined. Diplomat who was seen by late Dr. Enemuo is alive and well, there is no need to panic.”

Mr. Amaechi wouldn’t reveal the identity or nationality of the diplomat just like the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, who while confirming the new Ebola cases in Port Harcourt, failed to disclose the identity of the man who took the disease there.

It remains unclear whether Dr. Enemuo knew the diplomat was Ebola-positive before he agreed to treat him. Earlier reports said he “secretly” treated the ECOWAS official, but details of his knowledge of the official’s exact medical condition are unclear. Governor Amaechi did not provide those details in his speech Thursday. The identity of the diplomat also remains unknown with neither the Nigerian government nor ECOWAS agreeing to release the name.